In his perception, Lu Xiaofeng was no longer a man, but a sentient divine sword.
Before that suffocating sharpness even reached him, his body instinctively issued a sharp alarm.
“Return of Ten Thousand Swords!”
“Zhuge Qing” looked solemn.
“Senior Wuming’s ultimate signature technique. The divine sword possesses a spirit, and Lu Xiaofeng is using the Hero Sword to forcibly trigger this move.”
Just as Matt was about to ask if forcibly casting it would damage his foundation, the Blood Demon struck first.
A giant python formed from dense blood mist swooped down from the sky, opening its bloody maw wide to devour the crown of Lu Xiaofeng’s head!
“Kun Position: Earthfall Cascade!”
The ground churned up violently like a surging wave, and a thick earthen wall rose sharply from the earth, forcibly blocking the blood python on the outside.
“It is ungentlemanly not to return a favor.”
Before “Zhuge Qing” finished his sentence, he took half a step forward with his right foot and flipped his palm.
“Li Position: Crimson Chain!”
Li represents fire.
Scarlet flames shot into the air as a fire serpent burst forth from the ground, its glowing scales ablaze.
Accompanied by a scorching gale, it blasted straight toward the Blood Demon’s true body!
“Don’t think you can buy time!”
The Blood Demon let out a cold shout, his figure suddenly splitting into dozens of afterimages.
Blood-red light crisscrossed as he lunged at Lu Xiaofeng from every direction.
“Zhen Position: Thunderbolt!”
“Zhuge Qing” raised a hand with a gentle wave.
Electric light exploded around him, crackling softly as it wove together like a dense spiderweb.
The lightning formed a protective barrier around him and Lu Xiaofeng.
The moment any approaching blood shadow touched the electricity, it detonated into a cloud of blood mist.
[Shock point from Daredevil Matt Murdock +95]
[Shock point from Luke Cage +865]
[Shock point from Jessica Jones +992]
[Shock point from the Punisher Frank Castle +845]
[Shock point from Iron Fist Danny Rand +1273]
…
Witnessing the endless fierce battle between Zhuge Qing and the Blood Demon, The Defenders suddenly realized that they truly couldn’t intervene.
Especially Danny.
Before this, he had been full of confidence, firmly believing that the power of the Iron Fist inherited from Kunlun was enough to shoulder the responsibilities of a hero.
It was precisely this certainty that had made him rush over to intercept the Blood Demon the moment he heard word leaked by The Hand.
But reality had dealt him a harsh slap in the face.
Only when he truly stood here did he understand that the power he was so proud of was completely fragile in front of the Blood Demon—he couldn’t even withstand a casual blow.
This made him unable to help asking himself: Was he too weak?
Or was Kunlun’s Iron Fist simply nowhere near as powerful as the legends claimed?
*Roar!!!*
An air-ripping roar violently cut short his thoughts.
He looked up to see—
A towering giant tree broke through the ground and pierced straight into the night sky.
Zhuge Qing stood atop the tree, gathering Qi in both palms to compress the airflow into a howling, wildly spinning, terrifying wind cannon!
The wind cannon exploded with a roar, sending the Blood Demon flying on the spot.
Dozens of bloody gushes ripped open across his body, both wings were completely severed, and shredded flesh flew in all directions.
Yet even though he was wounded to this extent, he was still laughing madly.
“Zhuge Qing, you are indeed formidable… but I am immortal! You can never kill me!”
Immortal my ass!
“Zhuge Qing” cursed inwardly.
It was all just an act; otherwise, he would have smashed the Blood Demon’s kneecaps long ago.
A glance from the corner of his eye showed Lu Xiaofeng’s aura growing ever more profound and heavy, his sword intent almost tangible.
He knew the time was right.
Following the momentum, he reined in his power, a hint of exhaustion surfacing on his face.
The terrifying wind cannon in the air slowly dissipated and died down along with it.
“Hahaha! Your Qi is almost depleted! In the end, I am the winner of this fight!”
The Blood Demon helpfully supplied the commentary.
As the blood mist churned, a pair of crimson bat wings burst open from his back once more.
With a sudden flap of his wings, his sharp claws ripped through the airflow, driving straight for Zhuge Qing’s chest.
“You fell for it!”
The corners of “Zhuge Qing’s” lips curved upward slightly with a cold smile.
In an instant, wind from all directions condensed sharply, transforming into countless sharp wind ropes that wrapped around the pouncing Blood Demon in layers, binding him tight. Read this novel at novelping dot com for the best experience.
At the same time, “Lu Xiaofeng” below suddenly snapped his eyes open.
*Clang!*
The Hero Sword vibrated with a clear chime as it left its sheath.
The invisible Qi of heaven and earth materialized instantly, condensing into a dense expanse of sharp sword Qi.
The quantity was so vast it numbered in the tens of thousands.
“Return of Ten Thousand Swords!”
Before his voice died away, thousands upon thousands of sword Qi interconnected tail-to-tip, spiraling and leaping as they coalesced into a roaring sword dragon.
Bearing the force to shatter mountains and split peaks, it blasted violently into the Blood Demon.
[Shock point from Daredevil Matt Murdock +115]
[Shock point from Luke Cage +1165]
[Shock point from Jessica Jones +1222]
[Shock point from the Punisher Frank Castle +1145]
[Shock point from Iron Fist Danny Rand +1373]
…
The Defenders stared up in dazed awe at the sword dragon soaring into the sky.
The more dazzling and beautiful a thing was, the more deadly the sharpness it usually concealed.
In pure visual impact, the sword dragon flowed like a cascading galaxy, glowing with a brilliance so breathtaking that even the cool moonlight paled in comparison.
Yet its lethal power was utterly merciless.
The Blood Demon had long been reputed as immortal, but the moment he was engulfed by the sword dragon, his body instantly exploded, shattering into a cloud of blood mist that drifted across the sky.
“Is it… finally over?”
Jessica slowly exhaled, feeling as if all her strength had been drained away.
Even her fingertips felt faint.
Fighting the Blood Demon required constant vigilance every single second against illusions and mental bewitchment.
That kind of exhaustion, from stretching one’s nerves to the absolute limit, was almost suffocating.
“No, it’s not over yet.”
“Lu Xiaofeng” looked grave, driving the sword dragon to repeatedly shred and purge the remaining blood mist.
Sure enough, at the critical juncture between life and death, the blood mist churned once more, shattering into a swarm of tiny blood bats that fled in all directions.
The sword dragon gave relentless chase, sweeping across all directions.
In a chase lasting merely a few breaths, ninety percent of the blood bats were wiped out, leaving only a scattered few frantically dodging.
Right at this moment,
“Lu Xiaofeng’s” face turned deathly pale.
A sweet taste surged up his throat, and with a heavy spatter, he spat out a mouthful of blood.
His hand loosened around his sword, and he stumbled to his knees.
With the controller collapsing, the sword dragon instantly scattered.
The few blood bats that narrowly escaped gathered rapidly, coalescing back into human form.
Though his aura was extremely feeble, he remained terrifying and hideous.
“Hahaha!”
The Blood Demon threw his head back and laughed wildly, his voice raspy and hysterical.
“Lu Xiaofeng! You forcibly unleashed the Return of Ten Thousand Swords! Your five internal organs are shattered, and your life hangs by a thread! In the end, I win this round!”
*Pfft!*
In response, Lu Xiaofeng vomited another mouthful of blood, his face as gray as ash, trembling violently even as he tried to lift his hand.
With an effort, he raised his arm, his eyes fixed on Zhuge Qing.
His breathing was as faint as gossamer.
“Old Qing… the rest… is up to you.”
Before he could finish, his head slumped to the side, and he passed out completely.
[Shock point from Daredevil Matt Murdock +135]
[Shock point from Luke Cage +1365]
[Shock point from Jessica Jones +1322]
[Shock point from the Punisher Frank Castle +1345]
[Shock point from Iron Fist Danny Rand +1173]
…
“Hahaha!!”
The Blood Demon’s laughter continued unchecked, arrogant and triumphant.
“Without the Hero Sword, what do you have to fight me with?”
“You seem to have forgotten about me.”
“Zhuge Qing” stepped forward unhurriedly, his expression as calm as still water.
“Zhuge Qing, among the younger generation, you are indeed worthy,” the Blood Demon sneered.
“If you had truly mastered the Wuhou Clan’s ultimate True Samadhi Fire, you might actually be able to burn me to ash. Unfortunately, as you are now, you fall far too short.”
“…”
After two seconds of silence, he spoke in a low voice, “You are also at the end of your rope right now. The outcome is not yet decided.”
“Ah, but I have help.”
The Blood Demon curled his lip and called out into the darkness, “Bai Yifei, since you’ve arrived, why hide like a coward? Hurry and clear away these nuisances, and I will fulfill my promise—bestowing upon you power and giving you eternal life!”
“Very well.”
The Marquis of the Blood Wardrobe strolled out from the shadows, standing beside the Blood Demon.
His indifferent gaze swept across the crowd.
“People never learn to treasure their lives. Last time I spared you, yet this time you rush here to die.”
“Zhuge Qing!”
Matt gripped his billy clubs tightly, his voice resolute.
“Take them and go. I’ll hold them off.”
“Tsk tsk, what touching sentimentality.”
The Blood Demon bared his fangs, his sinister grin widening,
“Too bad, today, no one is leaving—”
*Thwack!*
His words cut off abruptly as a dull sound cracked through the air.
The Blood Demon turned his head in disbelief, only to see the Marquis of the Blood Wardrobe holding an ancient bronze dagger with an expressionless face, having driven the blade deep into his chest with the other hand.
“Bai Yifei! How dare you betray me?!”
“You misunderstand.”
The Marquis of the Blood Wardrobe looked at him with icy eyes.
“I dragged you out of your grave solely to send you back with my own hands.”
He twisted the dagger and shoved it even deeper.
*Aaargh!!!*
The Blood Demon shrieked in agony as his body withered rapidly, all the steaming blood mist sucked clean into the dagger.
“Impossible… My power… how could it be absorbed by a dagger…”
His withered claws clawed futilely at the air, his face filled with shock and disbelief.
“Nothing is impossible.”
The Marquis of the Blood Wardrobe kicked the dried corpse aside, drew back the dagger, and stabbed it into his own chest without hesitation.
*Hum—*
Blood mist surged into the air once more.
The Marquis of the Blood Wardrobe hovered in midair, his white hair fluttering fiercely and his red robe billowing.
The Blood Demon’s remaining source energy rushed wildly into his body like a hundred rivers converging into the sea.
???
This sudden dramatic reversal left The Defenders rendered speechless.
Matt turned his head toward Zhuge Qing, only to see the man’s brows tightly knitted, his expression heavier than ever before.
“Zhuge Qing, what on earth is going on?” Matt finally asked.
“That is the Fiend-Sealing Blade of the Jiuli Clan,” Zhuge Qing looked up at the night sky, his voice low.
“Forged specifically for mortals to slay demons, seize their power, and inherit their origin.”
[Shock point from Daredevil Matt Murdock +1345]
Under the night sky, the blood mist churned and rushed around Bai Yifei like a living creature, whipping up a harsh, howling wind.
Visible to the naked eye, his overwhelming pressure climbed steadily higher, so heavy that it made chests feel tight and breathing labored.
In stark contrast, the Blood Demon—who had been insufferably arrogant moments ago—saw his full, robust body wither and collapse at a terrifying speed.
In the blink of an eye, he was reduced to a skin-and-bones corpse.
“Jiuli… You are actually a descendant of the Jiuli…”
The Blood Demon reached a trembling hand into the air, as if trying to grasp his slipping power.
But the instant his last shred of strength was drained, he collapsed heavily, his shrivelled shell crumbling inch by inch into a handful of ash that scattered with the wind.
[Shock point from Matt Murdock +1345]
[Shock point from Jessica Jones +1368]
…
The Defenders froze where they stood, their eyes filled with disbelief.
Plundering the power of a demon?!
Could a human truly accomplish something so unimaginable?
*Bang!
Bang!
Bang!*
Without hesitation, Frank raised his M19 rifle and fired a series of three-round bursts at the Marquis of the Blood Wardrobe.
Yet the moment the bullets flew within a hundred meters of him, they seemed to hit an invisible barrier, dropping drastically in speed until they hung suspended in midair, completely motionless.
“It’s useless.”
Zhuge Qing’s expression was grave.
“This is a Demon-Subduing Ritual of the Jiuli line. Unless your power surpasses the Blood Demon’s, no one can harm Bai Yifei before the ritual is complete.”